


I Found Peace in Your Violence

by 8ucky8arnes



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Ableist Language, F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Past Skye | Daisy Johnson/Grant Ward - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:14:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29964153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8ucky8arnes/pseuds/8ucky8arnes
Summary: Daisy met his eyes when he came over, her heart fluttering in her chest for the first time since Lincoln died and she smiled. She saw his slightly stunned blink and wondered if that reaction was because of her currently battered appearance or something else. She held out her hand towards him, “I’m Daisy.”He took her hand. “Daniel.”In which Daisy is a badass kickboxer and Daniel is smitten.
Relationships: Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 3
Kudos: 31





	I Found Peace in Your Violence

**Author's Note:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: This Dousy fic was one I started way back when the show ended and has been sitting on my computer for way too long. It's a Modern AU with badass Kickboxer!Daisy so I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mentions of Domestic Abuse, Ableist Language

Daisy  had finished wrapping her feet and  was halfway through wrapping her hands when  Jemma  bound over, a wide grin on her friend’s face that Daisy knew all too well. She returned to winding the wrapping between her fingers and sighed, “What did I  tell you about you trying to set me up again?”

“I’m not!”

Daisy lifted her head, eyebrow raised, “Really? Then what’s that look for?”

“Peggy is visiting the States for the week and I wanted to know if I could invite her to come see your fight tonight?” Jemma’s entire face lit up like it did every time her cousin was brought up in conversation, whether it be by her or anyone else , explaining her friend’s exuberant expression . 

Jemma was many things, but a convincing liar wasn’t one of them.

Daisy laughed, “You know you don’t have to ask my permission, right?”

Jemma waved her off,  “Is that a yes?”

“Yes.” She wound the wrap one more time around her wrist before securing the Velcro. Daisy flexed her hand once, twice before standing and rolling her shoulders, “I’m looking forward to meeting the famous Peggy Carter in person.”

“Who are you fighting tonight anyways?”

“ Kara Palamas .”

Jemma’s lip curled, “Ward’s protégé?” 

“That’s the one.” Daisy moved towards the heavy bag, body already thrumming with a deep-seated disdain for her former trainer/boyfriend and his newest pet, grunting with each forceful kick and punch. 

She’d been twenty-five when she’d come upon the gym known simply as SHIELD, alone and eager to find something that could offer her a roof over her head. She’d gotten that and more when she’d met them all...met Grant Ward, someone who had also had a shitty childhood, someone who’d gotten her in a way few people had.

It wasn’t even six months into their relationship/training that she’d seen something ugly and cruel behind his dark eyes. Something all too reminiscent of the foster fathers she’d grown up with. Something manipulative and violent and angry.

He’d been banned from the gym after the owner, Phil Coulson, had witnessed one of their arguments go too far, a screaming match that had ended with Ward shoving Daisy  _ hard _ against the wall, hand curled around her throat.

She’d almost walked out of the gym too, but had been stopped by Phil’s wife, Melinda May, who’d convinced her to stay and train with her. Who’d pushed her and pushed her until she’d  gotten into the fighting circuit not three years later, becoming one of the best female fighters the gym had, second only to the woman who’d trained her.

“It’s been what...four years?”

“Five.” 

Jemma’s brow furrowed, “Why now, do you think?”

She’d thought that too when she’d first realized who her opponent’s trainer was at least until she remembered how rarely she’d fought outside the gym in the first few years. How many fighters she’d beaten... “He thinks she can beat me.”

Jemma scoffed.

Daisy smiled, “My thoughts exactly.”

…

Daisy would never admit to anyone that this fight was one of the harder ones.

Blood from the cut above her left eye she'd received at the end of the second round had been reopened and had begun to obscure her vision, but when Kara’s fist to her face sent Daisy staggering back into the ropes, she could’ve sworn she saw Ward smirk as she blinked the disorientation away and ducked under the kick she knew would follow. 

Anger flared out in her and she lashed out.

Kara could do little except block as Daisy threw combo after combo at her, her kicks hitting her ribs, her stomach, her thighs and after the third kick to her ribs, Kara regained some ground as she returned the favor.

Daisy nearly gasped as a foot connected with her own stomach, barely drawing her arms up to block the punches th at followed and managed a hard kick to the woman’s knee that forced her to take a couple steps back to regain her balance.

Before Kara c ould recover, Daisy delivered a quick  three-punch combo that ended with a spinning heel kick to the head that knocked the woman out cold and as the referee pulled her hand up in victory, she made direct eye contact with Ward and winked.

She was sure she would regret that later, but that didn’t matter now.

All that mattered was that she’d won.

“Daisy!”

She took out her mouth guard and moved to the ropes, laughing as Jemma ran to hug her only to pause at arm’s length with a scrunched nose. Daisy looked down at herself and took note of the sweat and blood covering her. “I’ll come find you and Peggy after a shower?”

Jemma squeezed her hand. “Sounds good.”

Daisy weaved through the people and into the locker room, taking off the wrappings, removing her hair from its braid and stripping out of her black sports bra and violet shorts. She grabbed her bag of toiletries and set them and a clean towel on the nearby bench before turning on the water until it was near scalding before stepping under the spray.

She ignored the stinging of her cuts, concentrating on scrubbing the fight from her skin and her hair. She quickly dried off and changed into a fresh pair of skinny jeans and crop top and tied her hair back into its usual French braid before throwing on her SHIELD running jacket.

She caught her reflection the mirror and grimaced when she saw the swollen, split skin above her eye still oozing blood and multitude of bruises covering her arms in varying stages of black and blue, the discoloration along her jaw throbbing dully.

She would definitely be needing to ice as soon as possible, less half her face swell up.

Sli ding on her  leather boots, Daisy shouldered her duffel bag and  left the locker room.

She found Jemma , with Fitz on her arm, talking excitedly with a beautiful dark-haired woman  that could only be Peggy and a handsome  older man she didn’ t recognize and Daisy flushed at the realization Jemma had actually lied quite well (or at the very least, hid it underneath a legitimate answer).

“Here goes nothing.” She muttered.

Jemma heard her approach, “Daisy!”

She accepted the enthusiastic hug with a laugh,  “Hey, Jemma.”

Jemma frowned when she pulled back, “Did you not use the bandages I packed you?”

Daisy grinned, “I leave the nursing to you, Doctor.”

Her frien d gave an exasperated huff, pulling over a fold ing  chair. “Sit.”

Daisy looked up at the woman, “You must be the famous Peggy?”

Peggy chuckled, “I don’t know about famous, but yes. It’s nice to meet you, Daisy.”

She looked over at the man standing further back, noting the strong lines of his profile, and the fact that he was wearing fucking dress slacks and a crisp white button-up. The outfit should’ve made him stand out like a sore thumb in a place like this but she couldn’t stop her eyes from lingering where the fabric stretched taut over his shoulders, across his chest, around his arms…a glint of metal drew her attention away from it to find a crutch on his left arm.

She quickly  turned back to Peggy before  she was caught staring , but the woman’s red lips were curled into a knowing smile .  She hissed as Jemma disinfect ed the cut, thankfully keeping Peggy from commenting on it and thoroughly embarrassing her.  “Who’s your friend?”

Peggy’s smile widened as she craned her head back, “Daniel?”

The man, Daniel, seemed to snap himself back to the present, “Hmm?”

“Come here.”

Daisy met his eyes when he came over, her heart fluttering in her chest for the first time since Lincoln died and she smiled. She saw his slightly stunned blink and wondered if that reaction was because of her currently battered appearance or something else. She held out her hand towards him, “I’m Daisy.”

He  took her hand. “Daniel.”

A shock went through her at his touch and her smile widened when she saw that he’d felt it too, Daisy making no comment when he pulled back quickl y and cleared his throat , immediately adverting his gaze from her chest when  she leaned back in the chair, her unzipped jacket falling  open to  reveal the clinging black crop top. It was both amusing and charming at the same time. “So Daniel, what brought you here to this lovely establishment? Was it me?”

His mouth lifted at one side , “It might’ve been.”

She hummed, “So what did you think?”

“It was impressive.”

“Really?” She finally took note of Jemma absence, her friend having finished right as he’d come over and she dimly realized that they’d been left to converse alone and found that she didn’t mind as much as she had the last few times Jemma had tried anything. “Are you just saying that or do you really mean it?”

That smirk was now a wide smile that had lines crinkling at the corner of his eyes and that small change in his expression made him suddenly seem a bit younger. Almost boyish…mischievous even. “I would never lie to a lady such as yourself.”

She  chuckled at being called a  _ lady _ , “Not even if it got  you into  my bed?”

Jemma would’ve been appalled at such a question but Daisy had never been one to sugarcoat her words or soften her edges for anyone. She’d found being straightforward usually revealed a person’s true intentions a lot quicker and a small part of her thrilled at the sight of the singular sweep his gaze did over her body before they settled on her face and stayed there. 

“I thought women appr eciated honesty.”

There was definitely… _ something _ there, if his darkening eyes were anything to go by, but he held himself back. He didn’t address the very blatant, sexually-loaded question she threw at him. It was almost as though he’d seen through it entirely.

“We do , but it’s not exactly a common trait  in men…at least in my experience .” She said lightly despite the heavy truth to the words and smiled as she cocked her head to the side,  studying him more closely.  Nothing she’d said had fazed him in the slightest and a small part of her accepted the unspoken challenge to do just that.

He held her gaze intently and Daisy marveled at the warmth she could already see in his eyes because they’d been talking for all of ten minutes and he’d looked at her like he’d known her for years. It was a bit disorienting, but she was sure that would go away with time.

She caught his grimace as he shifted his weight, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

Daisy frowned, “If your leg’s bothering you, we can go sit down-”

He shook his head with a wry smile.

“What?

“My  _ leg _ hasn’t bothered me in five years.” He seemed almost amused at her confusion, expression surprisingly warm and open as he continued, “Not since I lost it to an I.E.D. in Afghanistan. The prosthetic, though, is another story entirely.”

She nodded, “You didn’t answer my question, though. Did you want to sit down?”

Something in his eyes changed at her non-reaction to a story that she was sure would gotten the usual “I’m so sorry” or “Thank you for your service.” Daisy had heard them enough spending time with Coulson to know that they could come across as hollow once said too many times and didn’t want to sound insincere.

“I’m not babying you or pitying you or anything, if that’s what’s bothering you about the question.” Daisy smiled reassuringly, despite how nervous she was to explain her reasons for asking, “Coulson’s arm would bug him from time to time and I'm sure the leg more so with it having to bear your weight all day-” 

“I appreciate your concern, Daisy, but I'll be fine.” His responding smile was genuine and his voice held no irritation, only mild thanks. “Really. It was just a twinge. Nothing worth taking your chair over.”

“ It’s not  _ my _ chair, you know.”

“I’m not the one who just fought for three rounds.”

Normally, any attempt at chivalry  would irritate her because  with  most of the men she ’d met in her life that had shown any romantic interest whatsoever, that gentlemanly behavior was little more than a front meant to fool her into thinking they were  a  decent guy; Miles wanted only the chaos her hacking caused and Ward had turned into someone she hadn’t recognized. Lincoln had been so gentle and caring but had been all too eager to pull her away from something that had become a big part of her but Daniel…

He’d shown no judgement in regards to what she chose to do in her free time and, instead, had called her fight impressive and meant it. Who’d put her comfort ahead of his without a second thought. And he’d only just met her.

“What’s that look for?”

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

Now he  was confused, “What do you mean?”

“I mean-” she felt the looming presence behind her before  _ he _ spoke.

“Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”

It was surprisingly easy to put her back to Daniel and glare daggers at Ward, still remembering the phantom feeling of his hand squeezing her throat. She refused to respond to him at first, knowing that that was exactly what he wanted, at least until the man glanced behind her and smirked, and then her stomach plummeted. 

That expression wasn’t one she’d wanted to see directed at Daniel.

“How exactly have I fallen?” She smiled, although she was sure it was more a baring of teeth than anything else, and forced her body to remain completely relaxed.  She needed to keep his eyes on her as much as it sickened her,  “In case you didn’t watch the fight,  Ward,  I beat your little pet. I  _ won _ .”

“I saw how you looked at me, right before it ended.” Now he smiled, nothing reaching those dark eyes as he stepped closer; the dark opposite of Daniel. “You won because of me. Because of what I taught you. I  _ made _ you what you are.”

She scoffed, “Wow,  _ narcissistic _ much?”

“We’re the same, Skye-”

“Daisy.” She cut in, relying on the years of May’s training on not acting emotionally to keep herself from fucking snapping (even if she’d failed to stop herself from doing so in the fight). It would help no one if she lost her head. “If you’re going to insult me, at least call me by my actual name.”

“You’ll always be Skye to me.”

“I stopped being Skye a long time ago.” Skye was the girl who’d bounced around foster homes, who’d never had a real home or a real family or even a name from her parents. Skye was the girl who’d been angry at the world when she’d joined the Rising Tide. Skye was the girl who slept with shitty men because she’d thought they were the only ones who could’ve truly understood her. “And that had  _ nothing _ to do with you.”

“She’s still in there, waiting to come back.”

“Skye died with Lincoln, Ward.” She hated even putting their names together in a sentence, but God she wanted this conversation to be over. Ward had the unfortunate quality of dragging up things left buried back into the present over and over again. “She’s never coming back to you.  _ I  _ am not coming back to you.”

“So you’d rather go b ack to the  _ cripple _ ?”

It t ook Daisy a moment to realize he was talking about Daniel and something akin to rage flared in the pit of her stomach. Her hands curled into fists at her side and she ground her teeth so hard she was surprised they didn’t crack under the pressure.  She turned to  go . She needed to leave before she did something monumentally stupid in front of all these peopl e-

Ward grabbed her wris t, pulling her closer. 

Her entire body went rigid, voice dangerously low, “Let go of me.”

“That certainly got a reaction.”

She  tugged sharply, not enough  to draw  unwarranted  attention to their conversation but enough to telegraph to Ward that he need ed to release her, and was not surprised when he refused. He didn’t listen to  anyone’s  voice but his own.  “Let. Me. Go .”

“ So, you’re actually  _ with _ him?”

Daisy  just glared. 

Ward fucking chuckled , like he found the thought of them  together humorous. Something dark glittered in his eyes and he leaned even  closer to whisper in her ear, “ Well look at it this way, Skye.  If you hide the leg,  then  he can’t leave you.”

The words struck her in the chest, bringing up every instant in her life where she’d been left behind… _ abandoned _ and for a moment she was sure she’d stopped breathing, hating that his words could still do so much damage. For the millionth time, she’d regretted ever baring her soul to him, knowing now his ability to find the soft underbelly and rip it open was not limited to those he claimed to love. 

But the shock vanished a split second later at the realization of the first part of his sentence and she just barely stopped herself from glancing back at Daniel. She hoped (prayed) that he hadn’t heard the words because while he seemed comfortable enough to lightly tease about it to her, the insinuation she would only be with him because he should be so lucky as to have anyone care about him at all...

Her eyes narrowed into slits, her entire body vibrating with fury.

Ward drew back to stare at her and smirked. 

A scarlet haze washed over her a nd she snapped her head forward into his nose . 

It broke with an audible and satisfying  _ crack _ .

She felt everyone’s eyes on them both as he growled in pain but she was far from caring, taking immense pleasure at the blood pouring down his face and smiled coldly, voice as hard and unforgiving as steel, “Say one more fucking word about him and I’ll break your jaw next.”

He released her to staunch the flow, eyes dangerously flat, and  left .

Daisy felt the cut above her brow, sighing when her own fingers came back red but figured Jemma would forgive her impulsiveness this time. Her friend, while one of the kindest people she knew, could be vindictive like no other.

She turned back to Daniel, horrified to realize he had heard it all; his warm and open expression from earlier now  completely  closed off, jaw clenched tight and the hand curled around his crutch white-knuckled.

Daisy was at a loss of what to do. She didn’t know his anger and thus didn’t know how to act. Was it like May’s, cold and deadly? Was it like Coulson’s, slow-building and quickly dissipated? Was like Fitz’s, all stereotypical Scottish fire and fury? Or was it like Jemma’s, pushed down and out of sight, out of mind?

She chanced moving to him,  “ Are you okay, D aniel?”

He watched Ward leave. 

Daisy  hesitantly reached out to touch his shoulder, pausing as she felt his muscles tense underneath her palm and when he didn’t pull away, she took a nother step closer .  She frowned when he didn’t look at her,  “Daniel?”

“I’ m fine, Daisy .” He forced a small smile, “Really.”

_ So _ , Daisy thought,  _ like Jemma _ _ , then _ .

“Daniel-” She sucked in a sharp breath when his fingers gently turned her face , her heart pounding against her ribs when his eyes found the freshly opened cut and he frowned, “You didn’t have to do that Daisy, not for me. He wasn’t worth it.”

She gave him a nervous smile, her stomach doing backflips at the realization his face was so close to hers. So close that she could see the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes and the silver that streaked through his temples, smell the faintest traces of his cologne…She swallowed, pushing down the thoughts and taking a shaky breath, “It was worth it. What he said about you was wrong, you know. Any woman would be lucky to be with you.”

His smile was genuine, humbled,  “Well, then thank you, Daisy. I appreciate it.”

“No, thank  _ you _ .” She stepped back, needing the space to just breathe, and grinned. A part of her was a bit smug when he could only blink for a moment, eyes a shade darker than before. It was nice to be reminded that she could still get that look. “I’ve wanted to do that for  _ years _ .”

“Daisy!”

She smiled at her friend’s worry as she examined the cut, “You’re not  mad, are you?”

“Of course, not!” She dabbed at the blood, “I’m sure he deserved it.”

Peggy was close behind, looking at Daniel with concern (and a little bit anger). “Daniel-”

“Peggy.” He smiled, “I’m fine.”

The woman looked at Daisy, “What happened? What did he say?”

She shrugged, “Nothing worth repeating. Trust me.”

Peggy looked at Daniel and Daisy, her gaze moving to the place where Ward had stormed off before she smiled, the warm expression not completely hiding that protective anger. “I’ll take your word for it then. Man seemed like a bloody wanker anyways.”

Daisy might’ve laughed herself at the scandalized look on Jemma’s face or even the surprise of hearing those words come from the woman’s mouth but everything in her was instantly tuned in to Daniel as he chuckled, that low, rich sound sending a wave of goosebumps over her skin, and she ached to hear his full, unrestrained laughter, to see how it transformed his face— 

Daisy reached back to steady herself on the chair and stumbled as she misjudged the distance, hand grasping at nothing but empty air. It was only one step but Peggy’s single raised brow told her it hadn’t been missed and she flushed as she turned back to Daniel.

His own forehead crinkled in concern at her misstep, missing the very obvious reason as he once again took another step toward her. One hand went to steady her shoulder, his face so fucking _ close _ to hers, “Are you sure you’re alright, Daisy? You looked a bit dizzy.”

Jemma let out a poorly concealed laugh.

“I’m fine.” She leaned back, putting a hand on his own arm to remove it as gently as she could and prayed that he didn’t notice how it lingered a little bit longer than was strictly necessary on the swell of his bicep. She cleared her throat, hand flexing at her side. “Really. You don’t need to worry about me, Daniel.”

He responding smile was soft and Daisy knew right then that she was a goner.

And, for the first time in so long, the realization wasn’t the least bit frightening.

It was welcome.


End file.
